


WaterTribe Wolves

by invisible_nerd_girl



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Bloody, F/M, Hunters & Hunting, Iroh knows people, M/M, Nudity, Princes & Princesses, Wolves, Zuko is a mess, cursing?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:41:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29790033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_nerd_girl/pseuds/invisible_nerd_girl
Summary: Prince Zuko is sent to the Southern Water Tribe to meet his future bride for the first time, but he's distracted by the Wolf, a creature that lives on the outskirts of town. Only he knows that the Wolf is really a person.(Warning for blood and cussing. There's some really messed up parts later on including the description of the mothers death)
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 25





	1. Iceberg Rescue

Zuko was shivering. The South pole wasn’t something that he particularity liked and it was basically the exact opposite to his childhood home. But then he was forced to travel with his Uncle to the three other kingdoms. His cousin somehow convinced his father that it would be good for him as a prince, but that somehow warped for the Fire Lord into making arrangements for his marriage to the princess of the Southern Water Tribe. Who was the same age as the princess of the Northern Water Tribe who was the first pick of his father. Apparently, the young girl was engaged to someone in the Earth Kingdom, so they didn’t want to start a war. He was slightly grateful that the Airbenders didn’t have anyone to marry off like he was. 

“You should put on another coat, nephew.” His uncle walked up behind him and he shook his head. He was chilly, but he was also sweating from being nervous. He met the young princess before, but that was a long time ago. Shortly after she lost her brother and mother. He did his best to sooth her, but they didn’t spend much time together. He also wasn’t very good at comforting her since he had to say goodbye to his own mother and sister at the same time. It was the entire reason he was on that trip, being that his father was busy trying to figure out what happened. The entire thing was too hard, and even worse, he thought of her as the little girl crying next to him randomly and not a wife to be. 

“I’m sure everything will be fine. Do not stress.” His uncle spoke again, shaking him from his thoughts. Zuko scoffed, turning away and strolling down toward the back of the ship. He wanted nothing more than to be left alone to his thoughts. Sometimes his Uncles positivity wasn’t something he wanted to deal with. He didn’t want to get married to stranger. It seemed stupid to think, but they had to keep their kingdoms united to prevent war. 

Zuko leaned against the edge of the ship, staring down at the churning water below. It looked cold. There were little ice chunklets floating around. A small smile came to his face at the thought of the word of chunklets. It reminded him of his sisters friend Ty Lee, who he also hadn’t seen in years. A character like her though tended to linger in thoughts, though she must be back with the Airbenders. 

A shout brought his attention back to the moment and he glanced over his shoulder to see that they were trying to dodge a rather large iceberg that the current was busy trying to shove them into. There was a heartbeat where the entire crew were turning, running and he watched as they made their way toward the center of the ship. The next heartbeat, there was a loud scraping sound and he was seeing the side of the ship. The water felt like solid rock at first, but then he was sinking like one. 

Zuko had a moment to appreciate the fact that he landed on his back, the cold making him gasp air instead of water just before he was completely covered. His limbs seemed delayed as he struck back toward the surface. His lungs were screaming for air even as he tried to make his way to the surface. Opening his eyes to see just made it feel as if daggers of ice were being driven into his brain and he desperately clawed toward the surface. The next thing he knew, he was breaching the water and crying out. The ship was already far ahead, his men scrambling to correct the damage done as the iceberg that struck them drifted between him and his people while water churned around him. 

“Wait!” He cried out, waving his arms even as the ship vanished completely. The motion made him sink again and water rushed into his mouth, freezing him all the faster. Zuko nearly panicked but he kicked his way toward the iceberg, using his bending when he reached it to make hand and footholds to climb up. It was impossibly colder with the faint wind whipping at his drenched clothes and for a second he thought about jumping back into the water so he’d die faster. But his mother didn’t raise a quitter so he started to walk around the ice, trying to make his way around so he could signal his ship.

“It’s too cold.” He looked down at the ice that was already forming on his clothes, even his very skin was getting a sheen and he breathed out a puff of fire in attempt to warm himself. It wasn’t much, but he’d live a little longer.

Puffing out fire as he stumbled around until there was nowhere else to go. It was a solid block of ice and he was nowhere near his ship. In a last attempt, he shot out a truly feeble flame straight into the air. When he tried to scream, but it came out shaking and after when he gasped for more breath to repeat the sound, it made his lungs like ice, forcing him to bend over into a coughing fit that left him breathless. His vision blurred yet from the blurs he could see he knew he was collapsing to the ground. Eventually he came back to himself, struggling to move from his slumped position with his clothes frozen to the ice, pinning him down. 

He still fought, puffing out tiny, fist sized flames from his mouth. It wasn’t enough to warm the rest of his body free, but he was trying. A loud, animalistic howl went up, making him stiffen in terror and gaze around to see where it was coming from. There was nothing around him until he spotted a blur. It was a massive, brownish thing that was racing over the ice shore not far from him. The speed in which it moved was enough to make his head spin and stomach start doing flips. Zuko felt his stomach drop as the strange creature leaped clear across the gap. He didn’t see it land from where he was stuck, but he felt the vibration of the landing shaking the iceberg. It gave tell of the beasts true size. It would kill him.

Zuko knew he was panicking now. All he could do was breath in. He couldn’t even let it back out again. He lay there, helpless as he took in tiny gasps, holding them for a terrifying second before gasping again. His lungs were near bursting, unable to take anymore air but then there was a large paw by his head and he couldn’t move. Even if he wasn’t frozen he didn’t think he could make his body listen. A strange high-pitched whine started up and a muzzle the size of his head came into his field of vision. Zuko took in two more gasping breaths as he heard the creature sniffing at him, but then the muzzle prodded his chest roughly, shoving the air from his lungs. The noise he made wasn’t something he wished to repeat, nor was it very prince-like but then there was a scrunch of teeth behind his ear. Zuko shut his eyes, sure that he was about to be eaten when he was lifted. The ice tore at his skin but when he glanced down, he simply saw that he was red where he was stuck. 

“What are you doing?” He croaked out, shaking as his legs were pried off the ice and he was hanging completely in the creatures mouth. It was like nothing he’d ever seen before. Massive forelegs, with heavily clawed paws that gripped the ice with ease. The creature lifted him higher as it started to climb to the top of the iceberg, making him flop against a powerful chest that led to a wide neck. It was almost too much for him to take in but he shoved his hands forward, trying to brace himself when he realized that the creature was furry. His fingers were buried fully into the fluff yet he hadn’t reached skin. And it was warm. It was so warm and he all but hugged the neck, pulling his legs up to wrap around it. The beast made a strangled noise so he pulled back on it slightly so he wouldn’t hurt anything. 

“Where are you taking me?” He tilted his head back the best he could with the back of his coat still in the creature truly frightening jaws but the animal crouched down. Zuko protested weakly as he was squished against the creatures front paws and his massive head but then it was running. He had enough time to look down and scream as it jumped back off the iceberg. The creature didn’t stop once it landed though, instead choosing the race with Zuko, still screaming and now cursing, in its jaws. It wasn’t a fun ride and his feet caught on the ice occasionally, jerking him around like a ragdoll though he was numb from the cold. He knew he was in trouble but the tingling that was moving up his legs from the blows seemed to settle it for him that he was finished. There was nothing more for him to do, no reason for him to continue to fight what his future had planned for him. With a soft breath, he closed his eyes and waited for the end.  
=====================================================================  
It was warm when he woke up. He wondered if it was his imagination. Opening his eyes proved to show him nothing. It was too dark for him to see. He didn’t bother trying to move. Everything was still tingling and he blinked, feeling like his even eyes were numb. It was actually clammy instead of warm and he grunted in annoyance that death was so uncomfortable. He understood it was death but they could’ve at least made it a dry heat instead of wet, smelly heat. Zuko frowned, wondering if every dead person was bored before he wiggled his toes. They hurt. His legs hurt too now that he was thinking about it. His back ached from where he landed earlier, and his lungs rattled as he tried to breathe. The thought made him jerk back, not quiet understanding why he was still breathing. He was dead.

There was grumble from everywhere around him and he kicked out in response, gaping as the darkness rose off of him and he realized that it wasn’t death, but the creature laying over him. Zuko scrambled back, kicking until he was pressed back against a wall that he immediately fell away from when his back touched the ice. He was naked. Zuko was naked, in what looked like a cave made of ice with a strange creature. There was a bed of sort made from what felt like sticks and a few furs littered across it. The entrance was on the other side, letting light flicker in but it didn’t look right to him. It was so bright. The creature seemed amused at his show, chuffing at him as Zuko clambered to his feet and pointed a finger at him. 

“You’re not going to eat me! I will end you.” Even as he said it, he knew there wasn’t a fight left in him. His legs were wobbling under him and he was swaying back and forth as he tried to keep his balance. One ear was filled with water, he could feel it sloshing around and messing with his balance so he had to hold the wall with one hand as he stared the beast down. The arm he used to point at the creature dropped to his side as he swayed worse, dropping to his knees when the edges of his vision started to darken. The years of training reared it’s head in his mind and he worked on controlling his breathing, once again puffing out little flames as he lost some of his control. His bending was still trying to warm him but they were far from freezing now. Still in danger but not from the ice or snow. 

His eyes flickered up when there was movement, watching with apprehension as the beast inched closer. He groaned, leaning away as it got within inches of his face. There was almost an abundance of time for him to take in the sight of daggerlike canines that could gouge him to nothing but scraps. The creatures nose wiggled as it sniffed at him, and Zuko puffed out an extra strong flame just to show that he wasn’t going to go down easy but then there was a positively playful woof and the creature seemed to shrink. 

Zuko jerked his head back but it didn’t stop a cold nose from pressing against his lips. Disgust rippled through him and he turned his head away, spitting at the moisture left on his lips before wiping it with the back of his hand. 

“Look, it’s here too.” He snapped his fingers, making a flame come to them. The beast dropped into a play crouch, patting his front paws on the ground so hard that he thought for a second that he would be ground up with them and quickly held the fire out to him. He shut his eyes so he wouldn’t see in case his arm was about to be ripped off but then there was silence. Taking a few shallow breaths, he peeked open his eyes to see an equally naked young man sitting in front of him, staring at the fire with an enlightened smile. 

“Oh?” He dropped his hand and the smile faded from the mans face. Terror shot through Zuko as he watched the friendly face turn slightly furry, his teeth turning to fangs as his eyes reflected the fire light from his hand. A low growl emanated from the mans chest and, in a flash, his arm was being held in place by a clawed hand on his wrist. 

“Fire. Alright? It’s yours if you get me a stick.” He held the flame back out, shivering in shock as the creature instantly calmed, shifting back to human as he crawled closer. Zuko shrank away as the man sat right in front of him, tugging on his hand until he had his arm completely extended out to the beast. His hand started shaking from the strain and the cold was setting in without the beast covering him. He hissed as the flame went out and he was jerked forward, the creature looking over his hand and up his arm as he searched for the flame. 

“I can’t…”Zuko looked away in embarrassment as the man tried to crawled onto his lap in his search for the flame. He pulled his knees up, turning to glower even as he started to shiver. The man was staring at him. It gave Zuko time to take him in. 

There were scars. So many scars, like pink and white spiderwebs across his bronzed skin. It was heartbreaking to him but it didn’t take a genius to imagine why. He was a beast, and must have been treated as such. His hair was a tangled mess of brown on his head, nearly covering bright blue eyes that seemed much like the ocean Zuko fell into not hours before. 

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know why he said it but it snapped them both out of their frozen states. The creature cocked his head to the side and Zuko realized that the man hadn’t spoken once. It reached out to him, once again poking at his lips but he was grateful that it was with a finger this time instead of a nose. Zuko hesitated before mimicking it, poking the creature back but this time on his nose since he was too frightened by it’s teeth. He wiggled his nose at him before snorting.

“What are you doing?” Zuko’s voice was higher pitched than before when the man reached out again, but this time his fingers ran down the edge of his face, following his burned scar down his neck. They were gentle as they drifted down his arm where the scar divided into small fire like slivers to his elbow. Once he got to the end, he lifted his arm up and promptly licked it. 

“Stop that!” He jerked back, both disgusted by the fact that he was just licked and freaking out slightly when he shuddered, wondering why it was a little ticklish. Then the man was shifting back to the massive creature. Zuko cried out, sinking to the ground in shock but then he was being flung toward a pile of furs that he had slept on. 

“You can’t just hold me here.” He protested, smacking the beast to show he was serious but the creature didn’t seem to mind as it settled over him. Zuko shouted loudly but it became muffled as he was smothered with fluff. He thrashed around for a second before he realized that he was being caged by the front paws. There was just enough time for him to wiggle his head out of the fluff before the creature settled its own head down, curling around him with a happy sort of groan. It sighed in content and Zuko gave up, realizing that he would have to simply deal with these forced cuddles. Maybe, if he could, he would sneak away and find the village.  
================================================================  
When he woke to a massive chuck of bloody flesh dropping in front of him. He yelled in shock, jerking back in surprise so he collided with a wall. Pain washed over his beaten body and he cried out, using the arm that wasn’t propping himself up to try to reach around to his back. He knew he was bruised. 

“Arwooo” The wolf inched closer, making him swallow the pain down as it pressed it’s massive nose against his side. 

“That hurts.” He shoved him off when his body tried to tighten up, his muscles still trying to heal from the fall he took as well as the chill that seemed to be making him weaker. 

“Hhrrmm” The wolf grunted, turning just barely to drag the hunk of meat closer to him with flattened ears. He seemed to be begging for him to eat something and he gagged at the blood stain that was pooling under the hunk of meat. 

“It’s raw.” He pointed at it, making the beast tilt his head to the side, sniffing at his nose after a second. Zuko wiped at the wetness that was left and shuttered at the red smear on the back of his hand. 

“Fine.” He gave up after staring the beast in his eyes that seemed to be impossible to ignore. They were so full of emotion even though they weren’t human. He wobbled slightly but limped over to the pile of frozen clothes in the corner. It was a mess, but he turned his boots upside down so his knife clattered to the ground. The beast flinched back when he picked it up, backing it away nervously but Zuko barely noticed. The thought of having food after being cold and miserable, he could have some cooked meat. He stabbed the meat before delicately slicing a few stripes off. 

“Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you with this. I doubt that it would do much to fight against you.” Zuko carefully put one strip on the tip of the knife before cooking it over a small flame he made. “But it does mean you know what it is.” He jerked his head around to stare at the beast. It was slinking closer again and he found himself smiling at it at how goofy it was acting like. It didn’t take long for him to finish cooking the meat. It wasn’t completely done but the smell was too much for him to bare on an empty stomach. 

“You’re a weird wolf.” He repeated the motions with the second strip of meat and this time the beast stayed near him, watching with a strange fascination that made him more trusting of it. For the rest of his dinner, he sat in silence while cooking bits that he cut free from the chunk. He didn’t have a clue what he was eating, what animal it came from, but it was obviously fresh. 

“Do you want to try?” He held the latest cooked strip that had time to cool and the beast started to wiggle. It bounced in a circle, smacking the side of Zukos face with his long yet fluffy tail before he sat down, opening his massive jaws in expectation. Zuko chuckled low despite the smarting pain on his cheek and tossed it into the waiting maw. The beast snapped over the meat and started chewing, a steady thumping filling the space as his tail started to wag. 

“I’m guessing you like it.” He asked conversely as he cut more off to cook for the beast. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do next or what the beasts plan was. It was good to eat and he ate more than what was comfortable but he didn’t have very good self-control after everything. He was full of hot food and the den he was in was warmer from his flames, leaving him to be more settled with how he was feeling. He even used some of the furs to wrap himself up so he was more comfortable with not being so nude in front of the wolf that turned human. 

When the next strip was cooked, he held it out, holding his breath as the beast stared at him. It took everything in him not to just toss it away or to let his hand shake from the shiver of fear when the creature stepped forward, taking it carefully in his teeth. 

“Were you cursed or something?” He cocked his head to the side when the wolf did it to him, huffing when he didn’t get an answer. The creature knew what knives were, which meant there had to be a village near here that he could go to for help. Part of him didn’t even care if it was the capital of the Southern Water tribe or not. He couldn’t stay there with the creature, despite the fact that the creatures attempt to feed him.

“I’m going to get some rest.” Zuko could hear the wind blowing outside the den and knew there was no way he could survive out there. Even as he laid down, he realized that he was still semi-naked and sighed. His clothes were a frozen pile next to where he was sleeping but he would figure something out later. Instead of caring about it, he laid down on the nest and rolled around until he could pull some of the skins over himself to keep warm. Part of him knew he wasn’t dealing with the situation very well. He was a prince. He was meant to take action, to command the solution to his problem with ease, but he honestly didn’t know how he was meant to do it. 

A wretched tearing sound came from behind him and he shuddered, twisting around to see a rather gory scene of the beast eating straight off the hunk of flesh. Blood dribbled down it’s chin, staining it’s teeth as it went back in for a second bite. 

“Do you mind?” Zuko glowered at him from under the pelts. The beast stared blankly, looking between the meat and him in the bed before shrugging. It grabbed the flesh, picking it up with relative ease before trotting out the entrance with it. He sighed in relief, hooking his chin over his arms so he had a bit of a pillow. It wasn’t a bad set up, and despite the nudity, he was warm. His eyes were just starting to close again when he heard the creature returning. Annoyance flashed through him and he went to sit up, twisting to shove the furs off when he was sat on again. 

This time when he managed to wiggle free, he saw that he was pressed against the beasts flank while it did it’s best to circle him. Zuko pressed his hands against the fur, feeling them get buried in the fluff and he paused the rant that he truly felt intitled to having about his day. It was so warm. The beast seem to be watching for his reaction, his face still bloody. When Zuko didn’t do anything, it used a hind paw to shove him closer to it’s flank, tucking him away like he was something to be protected. Zuko was infuriated, but the small part of him that appreciated that his life was saved by the beast. It was enough to make him relax against the fur, tucking himself away after a breeze of chilly air washed over his head. 

“You’re lucky you’re cute.” He grumbled to himself but there was a few thumps of the beasts tail that proved that he heard. It was so comfortable, and he was dozing before much time had passed. It wasn’t long before he was waking up and stretching, feeling a little better now that the food had time to digest. 

It took several minutes for him to move, needing to convince himself that he should get to work on drying his cloths so he could stand being outside in the snow better, then he could find a way to get back to his people. Staying put until they found him wasn’t an option. They didn’t exactly have a good starting point for where he fell off, nor any knowledge on where his beasty took him. 

Zuko shoved away from the flank, wiggling out from under the hind leg and started crawling out of the nest. He made it to the edge before a paw landed on his back, pinning him to the ground so the air rushed from his lungs. It left him gasping, clawing uselessly against the furs and branches to drag himself free. There was a loud snore from behind him that shook the very air in his lungs and he twisted to see that the beast was fast asleep. A low grumble started in his chest as he started kicking his way free, trying to haul the paw off his back by pulling it to the side. It took more effort than he would admit to flop out but then he was free. His body was in agony afterward and he wanted nothing more than to curl back up into the heat until his back stopped hurting and he could take a deep breath. But that wasn’t an option.

“Wretched beast.” He spat the random hair that was in his mouth out with considerable disgust and stomped over to his cloths. The cold floor seemed to burn the bottoms of his feet and made his very bones ache but he kept going. The first thing he pulled out were his underthings, using his flame to be sure that they didn’t tear. It was slow going, pulling apart the pieces as the ice thawed. The problem was, they weren’t drying and he was cold again. The shivering hurt his back more and when he craned his head around, he could see it was covered in a large splotchy bruise. 

Then the wolf pushed him to the ground, sniffing at him before tucking his head under him, trying to shove him back toward the nest. Zuko smacked him a couple of times even as his feet slipped on the ground. After a second he ducked down and tumbled past, kicking off the wall so he had enough momentum to shoot under the beasts belly. He grabbed a random branch, setting it aflame and dropped it between the two of them. The beast stared at him with a dirty look on his face, a faint snarl twitching up but Zuko just sighed. He kept his attention on the beast, but spent a moment gathering up more wood so he’d have a better fire.

“I need my knife.” He pointed at it, waiting until the beast looked at both him and the knife before stepping aside. Zuko narrowed his eyes at the intelligence of the creature. Stepping forward, he swiped it, glowering at the beast as he moved and grabbed three large sticks. It took some fenagling and he accidently sliced his finger but he managed to get a stand where he could hang his clothes by the fire so they could dry. His boots were placed a little closer than the far corner of the den where they were thrown. He worked on drying them before he gave up, heading back to the nest with a sigh. 

“You done?” he arched his eyebrow at the beast, humming low as he sat down. Zuko wasn’t patient, but the beast took it’s time returning to the nest, making sure that he was facing away from him so he had to get settled the best he could without being completely surrounded by fur. He pressed himself against the back as best as he could, hunkering down and grumbling audibly about rude beasts. If the beast was stubborn about him trying to warm the den and dry his cloths, then he’d figure out how to get out all the quicker. 

From the spot in the nest, he could clearly see the fire burning. It was enough to make him prop himself up, breathing deeply to send waves of heat to make the process quicken and warm the den even more. He was cold again and his nose started to drain. It made his head ache from the rapid change of temperatures and all he wanted to do was be back home, or at least his ship. It was miserable and even if he got out, he’d have to talk to a princess that will most likely be his future wife. He didn’t want that. He was still technically a teenager and didn’t want to be pressured into marrying someone he barely knew. 

The thoughts plagued his mind and he growled low, watching dully as the flamed got higher and more intense. The bending was hooked to his emotions and he forced himself to breathe through his disappointment of what his life was turning out to be. It wasn’t the right word for it but it was the best that he could think of in the moment. After several minutes where he failed to bring the flames back down, he buried his face in the fur of the beasts back. The misery that grew over the past few weeks as they came closer to the South Pole washed over him until he was utterly depressed. 

It took him a moment to realize that he was crying softly, biting back tears from the stress of everything and covered his face with his hands. All his training was to teach him how to keep a straight face and be calm during meetings and ceremonies, to duel without batting an eye, however, he was alone with a beast. There was nothing to train him for this, and he held onto the fur, coughing back the snot and tears before the wolf shifted. 

Zuko scrambled back, turning his back and quickly wiping his face. The beast simply curled around him, nuzzling his cheek for a second before lapping roughly across his face. He grumbled, rubbing at the slobber that was left on his face and turned back to the wolf, holding tight to the massive forearm in front of him. There was no way for him to explain what he was going through but the beast seemed to understand that there was something wrong. That had to be enough.  
===============================================================  
The next time he woke, it was freezing cold out. The cave was still a little warm and he could see the beast had somehow added wood to the fire. His contraption was still there and he forced himself to his feet, hobbling over to run his hands along the bottom of his clothes. They were dry enough to work and he quickly got dressed, tugging his boots on while glancing outside.

The beast watching him more, his eyes wide as he cocked his head to the side. For something so massive that its head would touch the roof of the cave if it sat up at full height, it was adorable. The inexplicable urge to walk over and faceplant right into it’s chest and hug until he felt better but the beast narrowed his eyes at him as he finished the last of his dressing. It huffed at him, walking out the entrance.

Zuko glanced around at the den, frowning when he realized that there was nothing left for him to do but wave out the fire and follow. It was amazing that he was alive, but he still had to see what the beast had planned for him. The sun reflecting the snow nearly blinded him but he searched the vastness for any sign of where he needed to go. He’d barely started before the beast was picking him up, holding the back of his clothes in his mouth so he was completely off the ground. Zuko kicked a few time while shouting but it didn’t seem to bother the beast as it started forward. It felt to him as if he was a pup that was placed in a timeout, with a very disgruntled parent making sure that he wouldn’t get up to mischief. 

“You are insolent.” He grumbled out, wrapping himself up as much as he could since the beast started to run, making the artic air whizz over him. Using his fire bending to heat himself up was not the answer to his problem considering he didn’t want it to burn the beast if it caught in the wind. The best he could do was shut his eyes tight and wait for the beast to put him down. It felt like forever but then the creature slowed to a complete stop and he was set down. A paw came up, pulling him close to the massive chest while it’s muzzle dropped down to rub along his cheek. 

Zuko realized that it was a farewell a second before he was being shoved away. He opened his mouth to call out to the creature but he was falling backward, sliding down a slope wildly. The creatures shadow flickered away and he knew it was running far away from him. Guilt washed over him that he didn’t know how to get back to the creature but he managed to shake it off by the time he ended up tangled at the bottom of the slope. Grumbling about stupid animals, he clambered to his feet just in time for a group of men to surround him with their weapons raised and a few with water floating around them. 

“The Wolf!” One shouted and he realize that they weren’t pointing their attacks at him, but at the slope he just fell down. 

“That’s a wolf?” He stared up but the creature was long gone. He had to know. 

“Yes, how did you survive him?” One of the benders turned to him and he blinked at her, struggling to come up with an answer. 

“It didn’t come close to my fire.” He lied easily and the others muttered low, but it seemed to be in his favor. “I’m Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. I got separated from my people on our way to the capital. I’m not sure how long ago it was.” He turned to look back up the slope before shaking some of the snow out of his clothes, shaking from the chill. He breathed some of the flames over himself, shaking his shoulders at the wave of warmth he managed to create. 

“It was smart of you to jump off the cliff. It would’ve killed you if you stayed up there.” The man lowered his sword, jerking his chin so the others relaxed. Zuko let out a sigh of his own, knowing that he wouldn’t feel safe until he was back with people he knew and trusted. 

“That was the easiest mission ever.” A younger man was bouncing happily on his toes before racing up so their faces were inches apart. 

“Hi,” Zuko jerked back in shock, barely seeing the boy move but then he was zooming around in excitedly. 

“I’m Aang. I’m visiting from the Southern Air Temple and we heard that you went missing. So we came out to search.” He prattled rapidly and Zuko tried to keep tract as the boy raced around him, looking him up and down at he did. 

“Oh, well. Thank you very much. I…” He took a step back when the water bending girl stepped forward, catching the boy with a single hand to his shoulder. 

“Aang. Give the prince some space. I’m sure he wants to get warm and fed.” She scolded easily, the water flicking as she bended back into pouches at her sides. For a heartbeat, he was going to protest that he was fine but then one of the men was clapping a hand on his shoulder, pulling him along. He hissed low in pain but somehow they didn’t notice, which he was grateful for. 

“Prince Zuko, how exactly did you get out?” The man asked and he glanced behind himself to see that the bender and Aang weren’t following right away. He shrugged it off, turning forward to the man. 

“After I fell off the boat, I, uh, landed on an iceberg. I climbed to the top and jumped to land where I used my flame to stay warm long enough to find a cave to shelter in. I had some food on me because my uncle had given me something to try that the chefs were experimenting with. I used the ocean to orienting myself enough to come this way. I… I heard the beast coming and was going to face it but the slope gave way under me.” He lied easily, seeing them all hang on every word. It was a little astonishing to him that they accepted it. Usually he was a terrible liar, but there were some lies that he was astonishingly good at keeping. 

“How did you know to do all that?” The bender from behind him asked and he craned his head around to see that she looked suspicious of him. 

“I read some books about the North Pole before coming here. It’s not the same as learning from the people but I didn’t want to come and offend anyone.” He explained it away. This time it wasn’t a lie. He was nervous about meeting the princess that he was meant to marry now. It was calming to look at the scrolls and books they had about the people. They were different from the Fire Nation, but at the same time, there was a familiarity to it all. 

“That’s… unexpected.” The woman dropped from her defensive stance, her arms falling to her sides in a defeated sort of manner. 

“If you think so. I…” He was curious by the bender but a gust of wind cut off his words and he gasped in shock, wrapping his arms around himself. 

“Lets get him inside.” One of the warriors tossed a pelt around his shoulder and he grabbed on, holding it close to his body. It didn’t quiet reach down to his legs so they started to shake, making walking a little difficult. He glanced around, seeing that there was a small village in the distance. The sight of the smoke, the promise that he’d be warm soon, made him steal himself against the chill and move with purpose. 

“Thank you all.” He tried to remember to be courteous and princely but the female bender just huffed at his chittering words, pulling the pelt so he had his head covered and lead him forward. He followed obediently, his feet occasionally slipping on the ground but he didn’t stop until he was pulled into a tent and shoved down into a pile of furs. It reminded him of the Wolfs den and he tucked himself into a ball under the fur he was given. Snot ran down his nose and he sneeze at the feeling. 

“You’re sick.” He wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a question or statement but he wasn’t about to answer it. The crackling fire in the middle of the tent had his full attention, giving off the heat he desperately wanted. Blinking tiredly, he tried to call his own flames to warm his body but all he got was a shaky puff of air they ended in a coughing fit. 

“I guess so.” Another voice spoke as a gentle hand landed on his forehead. It was cold and he ended up sniffling miserably. A soft blue light filled the tent and he gazed dully at the bender, watching the water surrounding her hands shimmered. She approached carefully, setting her hands on his head. It wasn’t shocking cold but it was soothing, making him shut his eyes with a sigh. It took a few minutes but then she was pulling away and he blurrily opened his eyes. 

“This will take a few goes. I’m still rusty on healing.” She spoke with a regretful tone and he heard the older woman calm her down. 

“What’s the issue?” One of the men spoke but it sounded wobbling, like Zuko was still underwater. For a moment he could almost imagine that the past few days were just a fever dream but then he was being lifted up again. He shifted around, trying to figure out where he was being taken when he wasn’t even warmed by the fire yet but then hands touched the middle part of his back. The scream of pain was against his will, bucking against the hands until he tumbled to the ground on his hands and knees. It hurt but he ripped the weight of the furs off, reaching around to hold his back the best he could. Breathing became harder and he groaned when hands pulled at his clothes until his wounds were revealed. Even though the hands were gentle, he still cried out when they touched a certain part of his back, making it difficult to breathe. 

“What happened?” Someone asked and he managed to pull himself up, gasping for breath. His very lungs ached for breath and he realized a little too late that it wasn’t from the cold air, but something else that was hindering his breathing.

“Fell off the ship. We hit an iceberg.” He panted it out, his vision blurring as he lost control of his breathing. He couldn’t control his temperature anymore and he briefly wondered why it didn’t hurt as much when he was with the Wolf before blacking out.


	2. Healing Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko wakes up in the Southern Water Tribe and has to navigate the Princess, who he finds he already met. However, after being dismissed he finds himself wondering the city, thinking of the wolf. How can he repay his debt to the creature for saving his life?

“Prince Zuko.” Someone was shaking him and he groaned, swatting the nuisance away. His arms were like logs, which was enough to make him pry his eyes open and look at his Uncle hovering over him. The man was red in the face, his mouth moving like he was shouting but all he could hear was a strange humming. He smiled happily at him, feeling safe enough to sink back into the darkness. 

It was cold. It was hot. Zuko couldn’t really move even though he wanted the pressure off his back to ease. It was a battle just to move air into his lungs, fighting through the pain that made him want to hold his breath, and the snot in his nose made it difficult. There was something over his body and he occasionally felt wet, which always came with a glowing blue light. Sometimes he could feel a hand in his, though it was always hot. 

“Zuko, my nephew, please wake up.” He snapped open his eyes and sat up, which wasn’t very difficult since he was mostly up already with a pile of pillows behind him. It still hurt his back but it was enough that he was too focused on his random dreams.

“I’m awake. Did I doze off in a meeting?” He glanced around rapidly, not understanding why everything was blue. A strange memory of bright blue eyes came to him and he relaxed before he even knew what he was doing. His uncle was sitting next to him, though he was leaning away with a shocked look on his face and a tea cup in his hand. 

“We’re at the South Pole, in the Chieftains palace. You’re lucky to be alive.” His uncle relaxed just as fast as he did but it only brought back a trickle of memory. 

“That’s why it’s so cold.” He dragged the blankets back over himself only to have his uncle pull them back down. 

“No, you have a fever. You’ve been sick for days. The healers believe that you would’ve died if it weren’t for your fire bending abilities.” The man continued but Zuko suddenly remembered the wolf. 

“There was a beast. A massive wolf.” He breathed out, remembering the fluff he slept against. It didn’t hurt to wake up when he slept with him and it was certainly warmer than what he was dealing with now. His entire body was shaking and he wasn’t sure if he could feel his toes or fingers. 

“Yes, they said it was hunting you.” His uncle sounded like they had made a slight against them but he brushed it off. The wolf wasn’t hunting him, though he doubted that he’d ever see the beast again.

“I was fine. I remember making it to the patrol, and then village, but then someone touched my back and it was hard to breath.” Zuko wrinkled his nose as he tried to remember but his mind kept flickering back to the beast with the ability to look human. The beast that saved his life. 

“Yes, they brought you here. They have some of the best healers in the world yet they are still fighting the infection in your lungs. I wonder how the water got in there.” The old man gave him an expectantly comical look over the rim of his tea and he found himself smiling at him. 

“I fell in the water, not an Iceberg. The wolf they were so scared off took me to his den where I recovered from the dip and he brought me to the village. He’s strange…” He trailed off at the shocked silence that his words caused and smiled a little hesitatingly. 

“The wolf they feared saved you?” He set the tea down, picking up a cup that started to steam a second later. Zuko took the offering gratefully as he nodded, sipping it carefully so he didn’t spill over himself. 

“This is strange. There is little known about this kind of animal. I wish I had seen such a rare creature for myself.” He mutter the last bit to himself and Zuko arched his eyebrow at him, waiting to see what the damage was. “However, once you are feeling up to it, we will start the meetings.” He went to stand and Zuko followed suit. He managed to sit with his feet planted on the floor and the tea cup balancing on a knee. The room spun around him and he panted for breath, coughing weakly as he slowly bent over himself. 

“Back in bed.” An older woman swept into the room, using water to shove him back. Zuko protested weakly that he was late and didn’t want to take up more of their time. Surely there were others that needed such pampering, but not him. 

“No Zuko. You need to rest. I will, however, let them now that you are awake and coherent.” His uncle used his commanding tone, the one he used when he addressed the people as Fire Lord not long ago and he bowed his head in submission. The woman made the water settle over his bare chest and it started glowing. Even as she worked, some of the pressure eased from his chest and he managed a deep breath for the first time since he was awake. 

“Thank you.” He breathed out the word in relief, bringing up a hand over his chest. “It feels better.” Delight spread across her face before it was replaced with doubt as he started coughing on the next breath. 

“You are lucky.” She scolded, taking a very small blanket and covering him with it. 

“So I’ve been told.” He watched as she freshened his tea up and set it on the table by the bed. Even though the tea was hot and the table made of ice, nothing melted. It was confusing. 

“You need at least two more days of solid bed rest. A meeting is no place for you right now. And your back is a mess.” She kept going and he held up her hand to pause her rant. 

“Am I allowed to eat something? The tea is great but it seems to have made me hungrier.” He put on his best hopeful look and she seemed surprised by the request. 

“Of course. Your body needs to nutrients.” She finished tucking him in against his protests and shot from the room in the healers way that commanded others to move out of her way. The moment she was out of the room he tried fire bending. It was weakened, but it heated his body up a little more so he could stop shaking. He knew he was running a fever from the way his body was sweating and it wasn’t a good sign. 

He also got to his feet, swaying as he staggered to the door. There weren’t many people outside the door, but it lead to a balcony that was a hallway. Zuko looked back and forth before giving up and walking straight out to the ice railing.

The Southern Water Tribe was beautiful. There were so many little houses, streets and waterways. Everything was white or blue, even in the bright sunlight. It gave him a headache yet he couldn’t turn his head away from the sight of it. He was in a building that was high in the air, yet he could see that it was sturdy, and he leaned out, breathing in the chilly air. It made him have a coughing fit that left him on his knees, clinging to the railing. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” The young bender from before yelled at him as she ran up but he was already trying to get to his feet. She grabbed his arm and hauled him the rest of the way up but he couldn’t even thank her. 

“It’s gorgeous.” He leaned heavily on the railing, taking tiny gasps since the large breathes were a challenge and continued to take it in. His body was cooling rapidly around him and he felt as if he could fly if he jumped from their high vantage point, that he could sail down on the very air and shoot between the huts. They seemed to go on into the horizon. 

“You need to get back to bed.” She somehow pulled him back and he didn’t fight it. The trip was draining what little energy he had left, which left him staggering back to his bed. 

“I wanted to see if I could see the village.” It didn’t make sense to him and he could see that she was confused by it as well but he didn’t care. He really wanted to see where he was and if there was any possible way that he could make it back to his wolf. It didn’t look like it was a possibility at all. 

“Just, rest up. You’ll be fine.” The young woman set him down and he nodded along, flopping over and pulling the allowed blanket over himself. The healer from before frightened him too much to try any heavier blanket. 

“Thank you for helping me.” He muttered into the pillow, snuffing miserably as he started to shake again. She looked at him before shaking her head like he was a child testing her patience. It made him grin a little bashfully as he shook. He wanted more layers but then the healer was back with a bowl of seaprunes for him to eat. It wasn’t the best, but he was taught right and swallowed every bite with a smile and thanks. Only when he had eaten did both benders leave him alone to rest. His uncle wasn’t back yet he didn’t feel tired. He settled back into the pillows, feeling like he was sitting more than laying. He was asleep in less than a minute.   
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It took him three more days before he was allowed to move to a guess room and out of the infirmary. His breathing still needed some work but he was healthy enough to do it on his own. It was amazing to him that the healers put him back in order, though he was still a stiff and had to do some work that would build his body back up to proper princely order. He was still covered in bruises since they worked mainly on his lungs. 

“Thank you for your patience.” He called as he and Princess Katara were shoved out of the meeting hall. It turns out the young woman who found him was the princess and he had no idea. It wasn’t like she had a portrait that people could look at. She looked ticked off at the abrupt end of what was meant to be a day long meeting for them. Part of him knew she was even more infuriated by the fact that the two of them were meant to spend the rest of the day bonding. 

“So, do you want…?” He started and she turned away from him. 

“I have to go.” She snapped before she shot from the clearing. He thought about going after her for a second but then shook the idea from his head. She wasn’t in the mood to speak with him, though they hadn’t done much more than be civil to each other. They had yet to share a real word. 

“Alright, see you later.” He had to stop talking to people who weren’t there. Zuko stood there, suddenly struck by the overwhelming loneliness that came from being dismissed so often by those he was meant to spend his time with. His uncle was suspicious of the Tribe and it’s leader, yet the princess he was meant to marry didn’t want to spend a second with him, and his own men were enjoying being in a different city. 

So he started walking without really caring where he was moving. It was still a beautiful town around him. With smiling people and boats moving through the channels. For all the people around him, no one spoke to him. He was the prince from a different nation. They weren’t going to talk first, yet for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to interact with them either. He was exactly what he felt like, a stranger in a close knit town.

After a while he came to the edge of the houses and stood silently, looking out at the barren land. There weren’t any people around since it was just the middle of the day and he found himself breathing deeply, searching the area around him. It was cold, but he was bundled up and kept his hands buried his pockets as he squinted angrily. There was movement out there and he found himself walking steadily out. 

The snow made it a little easier to walk along but the occasional gust of wind made him wrap his arms around himself. Several times he stopped, wondering what he was thinking and once he even turned to look back at the city. Still, he pushed forward. He had to know what was happening. He ducked his head down, trudging forward without thinking too hard on what his Uncle would say if he saw what he was choosing to do with his free time. Even as he came over a small hill, he found himself refusing to look back as he marched onward. His legs started to shake from the strain of the cold and part of him started to wonder if he made the wrong choice when it seemed as if his body couldn’t handle the cold at all. 

Eventually he closed his eyes, stopping in his tracks. There was no point to anything he did. Nothing about him mattered since he had no control over his life. He was at the pole just to be married off by the end of the year. That was it. That would be considered the highlight of his life yet he didn’t even want it. Part of him was certain that Princess Katara would kill him sometime in his lifetime if he was annoying to her. He didn’t want that life. He liked traveling and there wasn’t much he could do about it. His words meant nothing. 

Something wet touched his nose and he snorted, turning his head away minutely before sighing. Zuko kept his eyes closed, hating the fact that the snow was so bright, that everything was so cold. He just wanted to find somewhere warm and curl up so he never had to come out again. Something very deep in his being told him that he hated the poles with every part of his soul. He wanted anything but the cold shut him down. He missed what it felt like to be in the hot springs with a nice chilled drink without the wetness on his nose. Again. 

Zuko blinked open his eyes, opening his mouth to gripe at the snow when he snapped it shut just before a tongue was drawn from his chin up across his nose right to his forehead. It made him stagger back, sputtering as he wiped the slobber from his face and saw that the massive wolf was back, towering over him with his tail wagging sedately behind him. 

“You’re back.” Without thinking, he flung his arms around the wolf as much as he was able, flopping against the warmth in his delight. Except, it wasn’t immediately warm. There was ice crystals frozen on the edges of the beasts fur to the point where he could feel them melting against his cheek. He could feel the Wolfs tongue trying to lick at his face and he backed away so he would stop. Only, the beast chased after him, snuffling at his nose in a way so it bumped his own and he realized that the Wolf had been touching his nose multiple times before he opened his eyes. 

“What are you doing?” He leaned back, arching his eyebrow at him before the beast made a soft sort of snort, nuzzling at his scar before sitting heavily. A paw came up and a second later he was being tugged back against his side, making his chuckle low yet he leaned in willingly. 

“Wait, what if they can see you?” He jerked back, looking over at the way he came to see that he managed to walk down the hill enough that he couldn’t see the city. It made it less likely that anyone would see them but he couldn’t tell where he was from his view from his room, which led him to be a nervous wreck. If the men saw him, they wouldn’t be happy and might try to kill the beast for being too close to the city. 

“What are you doing here?” He snapped at the Wolf, shoving him away and waving his hands around. It made him cold but he stood firm as he glared him down. The beast simply wagged his tail again and reached out to touch their noses together. It was cute even though he knew there was a person in the beast, and that he could clearly remember the beast massive teeth. Zuko was being stupid but for some reason he followed his heart and relaxed as the beast circled around him, happily moving him further down the hill. 

“They’re going to find you.” He warned, reaching up to place a hand on the shoulder by his head so he had some semblance of balance as the hill got steeper. The wind started up again and the Wolf instantly moved to block it from hitting him, his massive head swinging back to look at him expectantly. The bright, almost puppylike eyes stared at him and he laughed for the first time since he heard of his arranged marriage. Cupping his beasties massive jaws, he carefully placed a kiss right between his eyes, only thinking about the fact that he put his throat and chest in a venerable position after he was drawing back. 

“Thank you for your sacrifice Wolfie.” He pulled back until all he had was the hand on his shoulder and the beast started to wiggle, dropping into a crouch with his hindquarters still in the air. Zuko pressed his lips together when the wind hit him fully in the face but the beast didn’t seem to notice as he bounced around him, trying to get him to play. Zuko opened his mouth to tell him off, that he was far too large for them to play when he was headbutted into a pile of snow. 

“You uncultured beast.” He spat out some of the snow that got in his mouth, which meant it was mostly very cold water as the snow itself was fresh and clung to everything. It made getting back up difficult, but he didn’t fire bend it off himself. Instead, he grabbed a massive handful of snow and chucked it at the beast who didn’t seem bothered or told off at all. It danced to the side, avoiding the attack entirely as the snowball shot past, his head bobbing in a way that made him think that the beast was laughing at him. 

Zuko was usually smart. The only problem he had was thinking things completely through. When he was stressed or pissed off, a plan popped into his head and he followed it without a second thought as to if it would work. This lead to him jumping on the beast while his head was turned away and shoving two handfuls of snow not the beasts face before he slid a little pathetically to the ground. Yet he landed on his feet so he ducked under the shocked wolf, shooting out the other side just in time for the beast to trip him. He rolled in the snow, flipping over with a tired groan. His bruises were still healing, his entire back yellow or green but for the first time the cold felt nice enough to make him pause.

“You won.” He put his hands up, flinching as the beast celebrated around him with his massive paws kicking up snow into the air so Zuko ended up partially covered. He snorted at him, resting his hands on his stomach as he looked at the sky. The sun was already setting so he had to start heading back. Even though he felt completely safe, he didn’t want to be caught out on the ice when it was dark. 

The beast seemed to sense that there was something wrong, shoving him a little roughly with his head, making him sink into the snow but he reached out and wrapped his arms around it as much as he could. They hardly reached around fully yet the beast calmed, snuffling at his armpit before grabbing the front of his jacket and lifted him up. Zuko held on as a smile crept across his face at the sight of the snow still on the beast face from where he put it and he was set back on his feet. 

“Thank you.” He leaned shamelessly against the Wolf, burying his face in the fluff before pulling away. He started walking back to the city, hearing a soft whine behind him. 

When he turned to look, he saw the beast had laid down, his head resting sadly on his paws as he gazed up at him leaving. It was nearly impossible how the animals face went from happy and grinning to long and miserable, with wide slightly wet eyes that just tore at him so he paused. 

“Look, I’ll be back, but don’t have fur and I need to be back before dark.” He pointed up as he spoke and the wolf seemed to pout for a second before he crouched, inching close on his belly so his head was resting at his feet and Zuko instantly dropped to his knees. He started scratching him the best he could, rambling about how he promised that he’d be back soon and he’d try to stay longer. The beast wagged his tail, sending small plumes of snow into the air that melted the moment they landed on his skin but he found himself holding on for another second with the beast. He was the nicest being that he had met so far on the South pole, and that was saying something. 

After several minutes he blinked open his eyes, not realized he closed them as he cuddled the beasts head and sat up, looking around. It was getting colder. He couldn’t stall anymore so he got to his feet, stretching out his aching body. He gave the beast one last pat on the head but pointedly ignored the way he tried to beg for him to stay. It was too dangerous. If someone came looking for him then the beast would be attacked. 

The hill was worse to climb after sitting in the snow. It was steeper for one, and his body was threatening to stiffen even as he moved. A good stretch should help but there wasn’t time so he kept moving, his feet slipping every so often. At one time, both feet shot out from under him as he tried to see the top and he dropped back down several feet only to be stopped by the Wolf. Zuko patted his head in thanks, panting as he was shoved back onto his feet and flung the rest of the way up. 

“I promise I’ll be back.” He turned to steal one last hug, not really knowing why he was letting himself be so affectionate until he pulled back to see the beast had it’s eyes closed. It was almost as if he needed it as much as Zuko needed it and he found himself lingering away the precious time he had to return safely to the city. Before he could make up his mind to leave, he was nudged forward with a paw. He resisted for a heartbeat before starting down the hill.

He looked back, just barely seeing the beasts head as he peered over the edge of the hill, his ears flat like he was hunting but he could just see that his eyes were wide, like a kid waiting for him to return. Zuko made a quiet promise to himself that he would return. The beast was waiting somewhat patiently and he was someone who only wanted Zuko. Not the Fire Nation prince. Not the man who was soon to be betrothed. Just him, and that was something he could do. No attachments. 

“No attachments.” He repeated to himself, turning away as if he wasn’t already attached to the Wolf already. It was amazing to him that such a beast still managed to be full of emotion to him when the royal family showed basically nothing to him. Except maybe distain from the princess before she trotted off with the air bender.   
============================================================================  
It took a couple of days before he had time to sneak out again. This time he had to stop himself from jogging as he headed to the snow. He second guessed himself the entire way there, thinking that the beast had moved on, that someone was going to tell the others that he was heading out of the city and have him followed, that he’d look like a fool. He felt more than a little foolish trying to see the beast again but then he was stomping up the small hill. It was still early in the morning and he was short of breath from how excited he was that he was getting close. Nearing the top, he started looking. After several minutes his heart sank but he started down the other side, searching a little frantically for the beast. 

It seemed like he walked forever when he paused, bending to plant his hands on his knees and breath. His lungs still had some issues if he used them extensively but he knew that the walk wouldn’t have even phased him if it was before his swim and illness. The nurses still haven’t figured out what happened to make him so sick but they also didn’t know the full story. Or that he ate some random meat that the beast brought him. It was enough to make him pause, rethinking how far he should venture when there was a muzzle between his legs. 

“What?” He shouted before he was flipped, somehow tumbling onto the beasts back. Years of training made him able to grab onto the fur of it’s shoulders with both hands. Zuko barely had a moment to register that he was sitting on the beast before the creature started running and he flattened himself over the body, clinging with everything that he could as he hid from the wind whipping at his face. His jacket unhooked, making it easier to hold on yet he could feel the chill from everything around him. This time it didn’t bother him.

The beast slowed to a lope and he gathered the courage to sit up slightly, taking in the sight around him. It was amazing, mostly because they were traveling so fast that it was as if he was flying. He could almost picture it too and it was enough to make him sit up fully, gazing around in delight. The wolf veered upward, making his way to the top of a hill. The sight was breath taking, a large herd of strange animals staying clear of most of the weather by staying in the valley. It took his breath away but then a second later the Wolf dove into the valley, running along the perimeter as he did until they were on the other side of the herd. The herd was fast when the beast made it’s presence known, a short howl before it ducked down. Zuko flattened himself a moment later just as he lunged forward, snapping even though he wasn’t close to the animals. 

He could see that they must be where the meat from before came from. They were large. So much in fact that he believed people could ride them if they wanted. Thinking back, he vaguely remembered seeing paintings of them but he wasn’t sure if the people of the Southern Water Tribe did ride them. It was ridiculous considering he himself was sitting astride a wolf beast that the people were weary of but he couldn’t care less about it all in the heat of the moment. He whooped as they herded the creatures up the hill chasing them around the snowy landscape while the sun moved slowly around the northern sky. 

It was only when they neared the city did he realize how much time had truly passed. The beast stopped on a hill, staring down at his work. It was more than a little shocking to look down as the herd thundered past, veering far from the large city and away from the people there. Even as he watched, several men shot from the houses, chasing the creatures with their weapons. A few went down and were promptly surrounded by the hunters as the herd moved on, leaving their fallen like they were nothing. 

“Well, that happened.” He slid off the beast, watching as the men worked with other creature to move their kills back to the village. Zuko kept a hand on the beasts shoulder, feeling him shrink back to a somewhat more bearable size and he shivered, staring blankly as one downed animal left a massive blood trail behind it as it was moved. 

Then he realized one of the men had stopped. He pressed himself against the wolf, listening as the creature started a low rumbling growl but he backed away, tugging on the beast as he did. The creature turned grudgingly, his teeth slowly baring at the man who was still holding still. Zuko panicked as he saw the figure start forward and buried his fingers into the scruff, yanking hard to get the head to turn the way he wanted it and then they were headed back down the other side of the hill. 

“You shouldn’t let those hunters see you. I have to go. They can’t see me with you” Even as he said it, he was tempted to follow the beast back to his den and never come back out. They could work on making sure that the creature was human again and they’d avoid the people around the world but the other, more logical part, told him he had to get home before the hunters tried to see who the man with the wolf was. They had to have seen him, but he was luckily not wearing any red that gave him away as Fire Nation. 

The Wolf shrunk even more at his words and he sighed, unthinkingly placing a kiss on the beast forehead before leaning shamelessly against him. It was a great ride, and he was thankful, but they had to be more careful. And he had to start taking it more seriously. It wasn’t as if he could just run away from his problems. He didn’t want to be alone anymore considering he felt alone for so long in his life, even surrounded by people in the palace. 

“Stay safe while I’m gone. I don’t know when I’ll be back.” He forced himself to back away from the beast, holding his hands up in a stop motion when the beast tried to follow him but he flattened his ears angrily. There was a depressed sort of air around the Wolf as it sat down and he quickly turned away. He forced himself to rush as he made his way back to the city, jogging as soon as he was able even as his lungs started to ache. It made his mouth taste of copper and he knew he was sweating even as the icy air pelted at his face and hands. 

“Prince Zuko.” He skidded to a stop at the sound of his name, turning to look at the Princess in shock. She was dressed in her training gear that was similar to what she was wearing when they first met and he promptly bowed to her, struggling to seem princely when he was struggling to tear his mind away from his Wolf. 

“Hello, Princess Katara. How can I help you?” He straightened and she strolled calmly forward to stop in front of him. 

“We were meant to meet in middle town for tea.” She was staring hard at him and he nodded slowly. They didn’t make plans. He’d remember such things, except if someone else made the plans for him and didn’t think to tell him. 

“Uh, yes. I was distracted by seeing the Wolf.” He saw surprise flash across her face before dipping her head. 

“Ah, I understand. The Wolf can be quiet distracting. How about we head over now?” She held her hand up and he immediately offered his arm, wincing when she wrapped her hand tightly around his arm, effectively steering him away from the crowd. He didn’t miss that they were being watched closely, but he could tell there was something wrong with the way she was holding herself. 

“Hhhmm. Are we being followed?” He asked softly, leaning a little closer to her ear and she gazed out of the corner of her eye, not answering for a heartbeat to long. It made him feel foolish before she gave the smallest nod and he winked back.

“Thank you so much for reminding me princess Katara. I was looking forward to a good cup of tea. I guess that’s my uncle rubbing off on me.” He spoke louder, making a small smile flicker across her face before she straightened. 

“Of course. I was looking forward to some Jasmine tea myself. It’s quiet nice in such weather.” She relaxed her hold on his arm and he chuckled low, both of them turning to face forward. 

“It is quiet clear. I’m still unused to the weather here but it’s almost as if I could see for hours.” He waved his free hand around in a grand gesture, pretending not to notice when he nearly smacked a man who was gawking at them.

“Oh I know. I just love this time of year. The Buffalo-yaks are on the move and we make sure our people are prepared for the winter. It’s our jobs to be certain that a family isn’t lost or that someone goes hungry because they have trouble filling their food stores.” She spoke elegantly as they reached the tea shop. They were carefully seated on a balcony made of ice and he grimaced when he sat down, feeling the chill even through his pants. They were promptly waited on, their tea brought surprisingly fast even for him. 

“Thank you.” He nodded to the waiter, smiling faintly as he looks out the window. It was peaceful and he took the tea cup in his hands, lifting it up as he breathed it in. 

“So, you saw the Wolf today?” She asked a little bluntly and he blinked, turning to arch an eyebrow at her quietly. He mulled over his options before shrugging. 

“I go for a walk through the town after everything to clear my mind. I ended up on the edge of town when I saw the herd of Buffalo-yaks but it was like he was chasing them. He’s massive.” He ducked his head over the cup, humming softly before glancing up at her. She didn’t seem to be looking at him as her eyes glazed over and he drummed his fingers of one hand along his cup before narrowing his eyes. “I would love to know what you all know about them.” He put on his best innocent yet hopeful face when she focused back on him. For a moment he was sure it didn’t work but then she sighed low.

“A long time ago, there was little known about the large wolves that show up. They’re not like the other wolves. They didn’t travel in large pack, nor did they hunt like one. They stayed close to the villages, to people, but we could never find out why. Then they started taking people. Just a few, every once in a while. Those who travel or move away from the group. They’re dangerous. And the bodies were never found, just their clothes or what they were carrying.” She stared into her tea, the small amount of fun they had before long forgotten. 

“They sound terrible. Is there anything going to be done about our wolf?” He stiffened when her blue eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. 

“Our Wolf?” She scoffed and he tried to play it off, shrugging it off with a shy sort of smile. 

“I mean, that is how we first met.” He joked a little roughly, glancing up to see her relax once again and took a small sip of his tea. It wasn’t as good as his uncle but it wasn’t bad. It was enough to make him drink some more while he waited for her to respond. 

“I guess your right. Anyway, if he gets too close the warriors will scare him away. He comes and goes every year. Though this year seems different.” She paused to blow on her tea, and he could see she bended it to chill when the steam lessened and then she drank. Her eyes flickered to one of the men who were following them, but he could also see some of his own men that had trailed after them as well. He scowled down at one who flashed a happy smile before he was smacked by one of the older men. It made him duck back before they could see his laughter. 

“So he’s a regular? He hasn’t hurt anybody if your warriors haven’t taken care of him.” He waved his hand in a dismissive manner and she snapped her attention back to him with a fire of anger. 

“A beast like that should not be trusted. My mother and brother were killed by a Wolf. It doesn’t matter if he killed this year, or next year. They all take our people and they should all be killed before they get the chance.” She stood when she was done, slamming her tea down. He grabbed her hand before she fully left the balcony and she spun on him, her hand raised with clear claws forming from water along the edged of her fingers. 

“Wait.” He didn’t let go but he couldn’t help flinching back away from the prospect of the blow. It didn’t come but he could see that she was still thinking about it. 

“Look. I can’t begin to understand what happened to you, but killing the Wolf just because it’s a Wolf seems a little extreme. There’s no way to make things better if they aren’t understood. You said they just showed up randomly, and what. Your tribe will forever be at war with them. Is that any way to live with the balance of life?” He saw that his words were making a point but then she was pulling her hand from his, shooting a glare that made him feel as if she incased him with ice. 

“We are at war with those monsters. Don’t forget it.” She practically snarled at him and left the room. He sighed low after a second, slinking back to the table so he could finish his tea. There was no reason that he shouldn’t enjoy it, and he had to process the information that he just learned. 

She said that people disappeared, which could mean anything. But she also mentioned that it was her family members so it was unlikely that she’d help him with what he was trying to do. The Wolves had been there for generations so they had plenty of times to learn about the creatures but they seemed only interested in getting rid of them. If she didn’t know about what to do if her family was affected, then it wasn’t likely that there was anything else for him to learn. 

“Prince Zuko.” His uncle dropped into the abandoned chair and he lifted the last of the tea to him before downing the rest of it in a single gulp. 

“Yes, Uncle?” He bowed appropriately, feeling suddenly exhausted as he started a lecture about love that he couldn’t really follow. It confused him as much as it embarrassed him but in the end they both left with somewhat lighter spirits. He still couldn’t take his mind off the Wolf. They returned to their rooms, settling down as the warriors hustled through the halls. 

“What’s with them?” He grumbled as another group thundered pass, breaking him from his thoughts as his Uncle petered around the room. 

“Apparently they saw someone with the Wolf Beast.” He waved his hand in a dismissive manner. Zuko sat up from where he was lounging on his bed.

“Do they know who?” He asked carefully, making the old bender turn to arch an eyebrow at him even as he perfectly poured another cup of tea without spilling it. He once again tried to appear detached about the whole thing but then his uncle sat next to him. 

“You’re the man that they saw with the Wolf.” He didn’t cover up the fact that it wasn’t a question and more of a statement and he bowed his head. Zuko was a terrible when it came to fibbing to the old man and sighed heavily. 

“He saved me when I fell overboard. Uncle, the Wolf they’re talking about can turn human. I saw it but he’s… stuck in his mind. He didn’t hurt me at all and I can’t just leave him out there. I didn’t intend for the warriors to see us but at this point, I’m too scared that they’d use me to hurt him.” He promptly spilled everything. The strain of the knowledge rushed through him and he pressed his hands into his eyes for a second to skive off any strained tears. The scars on the beast appeared in his mind, which haunted him more and more as he bonded with the beast. 

“That beast is human.” Iroh sat back slightly. He could tell that he was thinking hard about what he had said but then he was nodding. 

“What is it?” He snapped his mouth shut when another group of men ran past, but his uncle simply watched them calmly. 

“I have heard tales from the Northern Water Tribe of people who turn into Wolves to do battle. But they are ancient, and never merged to the Southern Water Tribe. It’s the reason why their most valued warriors are called wolves.” Zuko held in a snort before covering his mouth. It wasn’t as if his people didn’t have such names. Dragon was a big one for their culture, but they didn’t go around killing them. He was meant to have a baby dragon at a certain age, yet he made sure that it stayed with it’s parents the proper amount of time so it was safe. His father wanted one yet he never had one chose to be his. His old man was infuriated when Zuko had several younglings scrambling to be his guide. 

“I heard that’s where they got the hair from.” He made a motion with his hands running along the sides of his head before poofing his fingers at the back. His uncle narrowed his eyes at him but he shook his head, laughing low. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day. I want to help the Wolf but he seems bent on getting himself killed.” 

“I understand that you are stressed, but you need focus.” The old man narrowed his eyes at him and he nodded, straightening up as if they were back to having their lessons. “This mans life could be hanging on you actions.”

“Thanks.” He fell back onto his bed, covering his face in his despair. He felt the bed shift and he peeked to see that he was moving toward the door. 

“I will see what I can find out about the Wolf.” He was partially through the door when Zuko called him back. 

“They may be planning something to handle the Wolf soon, so we might have to intervein sooner than later.” He saw Iroh nod before drifting away. Zuko sat back into the bed, thinking back on the beast. He couldn’t be killed. Not after everything. He had to find someway to stop it. Yet even with all the research and reading he did about the South Pole, he was still a stranger there and they were making sure to treat him as a visiting prince. He knew nothing of the honest inner workings of the people, and he was sure that the Princess hated him. 

Eventually he made his way back to his feet, getting ready for the large dinner that they expected him to attend. It wasn’t what he truly wanted to do with his time but it was what he was expected to do with it. The best clothes that he had must be warn, and he had to sit next to Princess Katara, though he was mostly ignored by her through the night as it wasn’t proper for them to speak while the elders were speaking. It made him want to scream. 

The dinner went exactly the way he thought it would. It took forever for the old men to finish their speeches, making him more than a little relieved when it came to his Uncle’s turn and he rushed through with something to the point yet elegant so they could move on to their meal. The meal itself wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t sure if he liked it as much as he did his own nations food. They didn’t get a lot of the spice that he was used to, nor was he used to the way they had soup for several of their dishes to warm them. Eating outside was normal for him, yet he would’ve preferred that he was by a warm fire when he was in the artic. 

“Would you please accompany me to the next part of our dinner” Princess Katara made it sound as if he didn’t have a choice so he got to his feet, nodding to his uncle as she led him away. Around them, others stood, trailing after until the entire dinner party was following and he swallowed nervously. He hadn’t paid attention at all to what was going on around him since he arrived. He was too focused on his wolf. So he hadn’t a clue where she was taken all of them, especially him. They walked only a short distance before she paused. 

There was a large clear space with large steps carved into the ice that were covered with evenly placed furs. Princess Katara walked to one and settled elegantly, shooting him an expectant look until he got the idea and sat carefully next to her. He kept his distance. It took several minutes for everyone to settle around them and he could hear the sound of musicians tuning their instruments yet he couldn’t see them. 

“Announcing, Master Hama’s Tale of the Wolf and the Man.” A voice announced loudly and his attention was drawl to the clearing. A second later, Princess Katara tapped his arm. Zuko glanced at her to see her pointing subtly to a spot above the clearing where there was a beautifully built landing. Across it walked an old swooped women with long braded hair. She reached the middle before hanging her hands over the edges, then started to water bend. It was enough to make him lean forward in amazement. Music started yet he barely noticed. 

To his amazement, the benders froze their water in such a way that he could see ice forming inside the giant water bubbles as they broke into three different blobs. Before his eyes, they became what looked like perfect images of bones, each locked into it’s proper place as the water formed what would be the flesh of the creatures around it. There was a man, standing tall and proud, though a little creepy with a massive ice spear. There was a wolf, large and prowling, with a small pup at her side, each with their own movements assisted by their icy supports within them. 

Then the tale started, the water moving as if it were the real living creatures it was shapes as, the bones shifting and twisting as the Wolf and Man fought. It was a great battle, the pup cowering or running in to bite at the Mans ankles when the Wolf was wounded. Zuko could hear the story being told by someone not far from the stage, their voice projecting out while some other benders played soft yet suspenseful music on either side.

“How are they doing this?” He breathed out, watching in amazement. It was true that he had seen plays where fire was turned into beasts for conquering, yet this was beyond what fire could do. 

“Hama, a witch, taught many things. But she learned how to control water in a way that mimics true movement of bodies, and crafted the skill until you see what’s before you. The ice bones help hold the original structure of the animals that are made.” Princess Katara leaned over to him as she explained yet she didn’t take her eyes off the show. He found that he was pinned to it as well. 

Then the Man lifted the spear, plunging it into the Wolf. Shock hit him as the ice bones shattered all at once. A wretched scream let out from behind him and he jumped, watching as the floating orb of water was releases, allowing it to fall to the ground and wash away. The Man stood in triumph, holding the spear high as the Pup walked forward, sniffing the ground as if confused on where its parent had gone. Zuko shut his eyes as the Man turned to the Pup, but then there was a hand on his arm. It jerked him out of the play long enough to see Princess Katara nodding to the stage where the Pup escaped off to the right, fleeing into the night as the Man roared out in victory. His spear was held high as the water itself gleamed with a blue light.

It was over, yet he couldn’t take a breath of relief. His chest ached but he made his face impassive, blinking calmly as people walked back through the crowd, relighting the lamps they blew out to show the glow of the water at the very end of the show and people started to shuffle out. 

“Are you alright?” Princess Katara asked carefully and he nodded, standing numbly. 

“That was quite wonderful. Have a good night.” He bowed stiffly, turning to wonder back down the path and away from everyone who was staring at him. It was too much. His heart was pounding in his chest and all he could see was the Wolf falling into nothingness. The Pup lost its mother. It was young, too young to be left alone to fend for itself. All because of a man who had power, the spear to tear them apart. It tore at him, yet he was also reminded of his beasty. The one who was alone. Everyone said that wolves had a pack. His beast didn’t have a pack. It was always alone. Like Zuko. 

Even as he made it to his bedchambers he knew that he wouldn’t be getting any sleep. The play would haunt him. They said it was forged from truth, so he could assume that sometime ago a Wolf was killed and a Pup was left behind. A pup that survived and was alone. It was almost as if he had all the puzzle pieces that he needed, but he was trying to assemble them in a dark while there was a chorus chanting behind him that everyone was going to die. He shouldn’t see anymore plays until he solved his little problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter. I'm really happy with bringing Hama in as a legit master. 
> 
> Comment on what you think.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a Zukka fic. Tell me what you all think so far.


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